Mars Chocolate North America officially unveiled an 18-acre solar garden Monday adjacent to its headquarters on Route 517 before a large crowd of prominent elected officials and company executives.

The benefits of the 28,000-panel solar array -- the largest such facility installed in New Jersey by a food manufacturing plant -- will extend beyond candy and Hackettstown, they said.View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | STEPHEN J. NOVAKFormer New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, left, and state Senate President Richard Codey mingle with other elected officials, company executives and M&M characters during the unveiling of Hackettstown-based candy manufacturer Mars Chocolate North America's 18-acre solar garden.

Former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman said it proves "environmental protection and economic growth are not mutually exclusive.""They can and must grow together," Whitman said.Jerold Zaro, chief of Gov. Jon Corzine's office of economic growth, spoke on behalf of the governor and said similar projects will provide a boost to the state's business base.

"The message today that Mars is sending, beyond the environmental message, is that New Jersey is alive, it is well and it is open for business," Zaro said. "If we can do it here, we can replicate this around the state."

Mars officials said the solar garden will provide 2 megawatts of power to its factory during peak hours. It will help reduce the factory's carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1,000 metric tons, the equivalent of removing 190 vehicles from the road each year, they said.

The project was done as a partnership with Newark-based PSEG Solar Source, which seeks to develop similar projects throughout the country. Hackettstown is its first completed array.

During tours of the facility, project managers said that the facility is designed to last for 30 years. Other renewable energy sources such as wind were considered, they said, but solar was chosen because it would have the least impact on nearby residents.

View full sizeExpress-Times Photo | STEPHEN J. NOVAKHackettstown-based candy manufacturer Mars Chocolate North America officially opened an 18-acre solar garden in town Monday that will generate 2 megawatts of power, about 20 percent of the factory's draw. There are 28,000 ground-mounted solar panels in all.